F#m Chord on Ukulele
F#m = F# – A – C# (Root, Minor 3rd, Perfect 5th)
F# minor keeps the F# major shape's general footprint but frees up the A string entirely: fret the G string at the second, the C string at the first, the E string at the second, and leave the A string open, since the open A note is already the chord's third, doubling the same pitch class the G string supplies an octave lower. That one open string changes the character of the whole voicing — instead of four fretted notes competing for attention, there's a single ringing tone underneath the fretted three, giving F# minor a slightly more resonant feel than its major counterpart despite the two shapes sharing almost the same hand shape. The notes present are F# (E string), C# (C string), A (G string), and A again on the open string, doubling the chord's third rather than its root or fifth, an unusual choice compared to most triad voicings on this instrument.
F# minor is the relative minor of A major, meaning it shares A major's key signature and functions as the vi chord in that key — a role it fills constantly in songs that pivot between A major's brightness and its own more subdued minor color. It's also the ii chord of E major and the iii chord of D major, so on an instrument where D, E, and A are all reasonably common keys, F# minor turns up more than its home key (F# minor itself) might suggest. Compared to F# major's fully closed, no-open-string voicing, this minor version's open A string gives it a rounder resonance, which is part of why arrangers reach for vi-chord minor detours like this one to add warmth without abandoning a song's overall bright key center. Its doubled third also means the chord's minor color is unusually foregrounded — two of its four sounding pitches are the note that actually distinguishes a minor triad from a major one, so the ear locks onto that color quickly.
Fingerings
Open Position
How to Practice It
The two fretted pairs — G string second fret and E string second fret share the same fret number but sit on non-adjacent strings, so resist the urge to treat them as a barre; they need two separate fingers (typically middle and ring) landing at the same moment. Keep the index finger dedicated to the C string's first fret and let the A string ring completely open and untouched, since a stray finger brushing it defeats the whole point of this voicing's resonance. A useful drill is switching between F# minor and its relative major, A, back and forth slowly, since that vi-to-I relationship is the single most common context this chord appears in and the two shapes don't share much physical geometry, so the hand has to fully reset each time. It also helps to isolate the open A string alone first, confirming it rings cleanly before adding the three fretted notes above it, since any buzz there is easy to miss once a full strum is underway.
Common Progressions
- vi – IV – I – V, from A major's perspective (F#m – D – A – E)
- ii – V – I in E major (F#m – B – E)
- iii – vi in D major (F#m – Bm)
- i – iv – v in F# minor's own key (F#m – Bm – C#m)
FAQ
- How is F# minor related to A major on ukulele?
- They're relative keys sharing the same key signature, and F# minor serves as the vi chord whenever a song in A major wants a minor-colored detour without leaving the key.
- Why does F# minor sound warmer than F# major here?
- The A string rings open in the minor shape but is fretted (and silent as an open tone) in the major shape, so F# minor gets one genuinely resonant open string that F# major's fully closed voicing doesn't have.
- What's the trickiest part of the F# minor shape?
- Landing the middle and ring fingers on the G and E strings' second frets at the same instant, since they're easy to mistake for a barre position even though the strings aren't adjacent.
- Does F# minor appear as its own key center in ukulele songbooks?
- Rarely as a true tonic — its close neighbors A, D, and E major get far more coverage — but F# minor turns up constantly as a borrowed vi, ii, or iii chord inside those more common keys.
- Why does this voicing double the third instead of the root?
- Because the open A string happens to already be the chord's third, and using it for free is more efficient than fretting a fourth string just to double the root or fifth, even though doubling the third is less common in traditional voice-leading theory.
- Is there a barred alternative to this open F# minor shape?
- Yes — barring all four strings at the second fret with the root moved appropriately produces a related minor shape usable further up the neck, useful for songs that stay in a higher position rather than returning to open chords.
F#m on other instruments: F#m on Guitar, F#m on Piano. Related: how chords are built, chord finder.